I was able to recently purchase for a haggled discount of $9, the entire original 243 episode 1980′s Cantonese dubbed Dr. Slump anime dvd set. This seriously represents my early childhood and foray into watching anime in the late 80′s. So I was quite happy to re-watch this series in a language I grew up with. My next goal is to be able to re-watch the Dr. Slump movies, since they are quite hysterical. I happened to own the entire Japanese reprinted DVD to this series, but since my current DVD player is not region free, the DVD’s are still stored in their boxes.

A brief background to the story, Arale is an android who gets invented by Senbei Norimaki. He passes her off as his human younger sister, as he deals with trying to pursue the lovely blond-haired Midori-sensei at the local primary school.

Of course watching Dr. Slump as a child and as an adult is different. Now as an adult I actually understood what exactly was happening, and connected the Chinese dubbed with Japanese nuances. The plot in this anime is actually quite silly and pervy. It cracks me up as I watched Arale kick Senbei in the gonads. That happens in the first episode. Then as the cast of the Penguin Village diversifies, and more silly antics occur, I mentally lost count of how many times I wanted to smack my forehead at what I was watching on the screen. (Case in example, the episode where a training monk disciple pretty much ended up knocking out all the children of Penguin Village in order to deliver them Christmas presents.)

Still I really can’t find any fault with this series. The feelings and happiness I felt watching Arale interact with citizens of Penguin Village fills me with great joy. One of my favorite arcs in the old anime was when Arale meets Obotchaman or as he was initially called Carmel Man 04, or there was another one when the entire town goes after the animated Akira Toriyama as he tries to figure out what to do next with the story line. I didn’t realize this as a child, but yes the characters in Dr. Slump were drawn to know that they were acting along with a manga that was drawn by Toriyama.

Arale’s happiness and crazy yet innocent personality inspires me to want to be like her in some manner. I use her so far as my eternal twitter-icon and background. I truly truly wish that more people know more about this series. I am lucky to say that the entire manga series has been released with Viz, and while the manga is not as lively as the anime itself. There’s a great deal of enjoyment watching this children show.

The Cantonese version didn’t keep the Japanese opening, but one thing to note is that the Chinese dubbed opening to Dr. Slump was performed by the late and great Anita Mui!

In the world of high school student, Ian Hasumi, there are things not visible to the naked eye. He is blessed or cursed with the ability to see spirits. No one believes him, and gives him the unflattering nickname of “Ian the Liar”.

In the duration of volume 1, he gets his body stolen by Tokage, a salamander fairy that looks a lot like Ian. He ends up as a spirit taking the body of an elementary aged deceased child. Ian wants to take back what what his, including rescuing his beloved childhood friend Rin Ishingai, a girl who believed in him.

Fairy Cube is a short thee volume series from Kaori Yuki, available from Viz Media. She writes a story bringing in the concept of Irish fairies, body thieves and alternate naturalistic worlds. With an art style that reminds me slightly of Watase Yuu’s drawings, Kaori Yuki is a mangaka that appeals for fans of drama, and angst. She also draws a lot of lolita type glam with ruffles, lace, pearls, and eye patches. This is a draw for those visual kei affectionate types.

A good read alike story that is good for Fairy Cube is Natsume’s Book of Friends for having the ability to see the unknown.  Another is Arisa, where there is the taking of another identity in order to round out a larger story.

This is a late contribution to Foxy Lady Ayame’s Kaori Yuki MMF, other entries can be read here.

I am continually working on drafts and then some. I am going to be devoting some time to putting up very late entries.. so It is for a peace of mind that I am going to be… either putting up updates here or as I recently tried out on my tumblr.

On the O-list, there has been news that British origami folder David Lister passed away. Prior to his death, he has wrote many things about the history of origami, so BOS has created a page with many of his writings. The Lister List.

On top of the Creating Origami book, I got recently. Book wishlist.. I want to get Tom Hull’s Project Origami second ed. in ebook…there’s the paper version I can purchase. I met Tom Hull before, and I would like to take a class with him again. I’ll think about it.

Origami folders, I believe keep notes of their own or websites. Came across this page recently, and I am reminded that there are great people out there. Great page for an essay about diagramming any origami, and an amusing story about folding paper mouses. I like her writing about visually impaired folders as well. Also as a folder, I am always interested to see what solutions other people have to carry paper.. so a display book huh.. I use boxs and cans.. soo. interesting. ^_^

Some food for thoughts from Meenakshi Mukerji about Komiya’s Dahlia and variation.

LOL.. this flash game led to a plenty of discussion on the list on how to achieve 100%

Paper snakes, designed by Talo Kawasaki

I know.. late… still this is the month of January and since I place some more importance in Lunar year… I am going to say this, happy Lunar year for those who celebrate. I am so behind on this blog and others.. due to real life, and the fact that I am still working on where to blog and talk about certain subjects.

I don’t have resolutions, since I know my life is a work in progress. For this blog, I am using this as a place to write manga movable feast posts, and what I hope to be a place to write more about origami. I am also going to try and do a series of blog exercises from Lorelle’s wordpress that I keep on thinking about, and will do on occasion.

The snake is a variation designed by an origami friend, Talo Kawasaki. Diagrams of this is available at Creased.

Still Happy Lunar New Year, especially for those who observe this holiday!

Greetings, I am delaying the inevitable, but yes this is the beginning of 2013. It was interesting hosting Hikaru no Go’s MMF. There are other links out there on the net in regards to the anime.

I didn’t expect many to contribute, but I am really happy that I got to read what I did. Sincere thanks to Lori, Enzo, Justin and Ash for their contributions to this MMF! The archive for this feast is over here.

During the third day of the feast, Ash took on elaborating another realm of gaming that Asians adore, which is mah jong in manga. It is also my sincere wish to read Saki in English.

During the fifth day I wrote another blog entry about my thoughts on playing Go, how it is connected to the series, and what books I felt were great to learn how to play Go with. There’s apps on the iPad and online, so yes go forth and play Go!

I am going to pass the baton over to Ash, who is going to be the host of January 2013 for the manga of Moyoco Anno! *claps*

One of the characters I find myself looking forward is the appearance of Kimihiro Tsutsui, who is the founder and president of the Go Club at Hikaru’s regular school, he ends up graduating early in the series, but ends up appearing on occasions , and exists as a side character in the series’s large cast ensemble.

However his way of playing is something I would see a lot of people would be doing, myself included. His strategy is playing with a strategy book and by the rules. It is self taught, perseverance and shows the fact that to play go, there isn’t the necessary talent card, but with perseverance and effort, there is some personal satisfaction. I personally recommend using Kano Yoshinori’s Graded Go Problems for Beginners, and Teach Yourself Go by Charles Matthews, as good starting point for English readers.

Similar to how many sports channel in the U.S. has commentary, there is Go teaching programs in Japan. This is something I caught when I was in Kyoto as a tourist.

When Hikaru first meets Kimihiro, he gets recruited into a three player team tournament. They get disqualified, but participate the following year with Hikaru going against Akira. This three person tournament reminds me of what I see in Chihayafuru, which is another series that has a competitive side to a normal card game.

The manga series for Chihayafuru has not been licensed, but you can catch the anime series for the first season on Crunchy Roll.

So I held off a quiet day 2 to round up day 2 and day 3 in one entry. I hope you’re reading this feast with as much quiet anticipation as I have. One of my favorite things about manga movable feasts is the community that the love of reading a certain title would bring bloggers together.

For Day 2, I ended up with writing a post about playing go, but I ended up being quite philosophical, as I squeezed in some references to Hikaru no Go.

Ash writes a quick review of volume 1 over at his blog. He is pretty right about how this is a good intro to playing go, since you can be a newbie in experiencing this game. This is not a action oriented game, but a quite and thoughtful one.

Justin inquires readers in his post, how people were introduced to Hikaru no Go, as he shares his own experiences on getting introduced to the series, and what has happened since he read the series.

Lori graciously contributes another review, concluding he series from 18-23. She writes a feeling that the manga ending seems rushed, and not as strong, and that sentiment is echoed with the anime, where it concluded with events around volume 19, and an anime OVA covers some of volume 20, so that leaves volume 21-23 not animated. But definitely I am going to agree with her and other reviewers that this is a series that must be read or experienced.

Something I learned in my experiences of playing Go a couple of years ago, is that as a novice, players should be prepare to lose often. With practice or strategy then there is the sweet taste of victory. Would you have life? Who would gain the most territory in the end? 

As a player, if necessary you can receive handicaps from your opponent if you’re black. Handicaps meaning stones already preset on the board before the game begins. Black always begins the game. Whenever it is mentioned in the manga, that Akira plays with his father, he is granted handicaps, and with the removal of such handicaps, it signify an equal playing field, or improvement.

You hold a go stone in your between your fingers in a pincer fashion, treating your hand like a pair of chopsticks to set down the stone with a decisive bam or clack. That is your resolution as you make a move in a game. Holding it as Hikaru did in volume 1 when he played with Akira the first time is definitely the signs of a newbie player.

Go is an old game that originated in China, before spreading to different Asian based nations. It is called weiqi in Chinese, baduk in Korean and go or igo in Japanese.

One of the best things that Hikaru no Go has done for many people in Japan and places where it was localized for, is provide a crash course into learning about the world of Go. But it definitely shouldn’t be the end all of learning all things about go. Since learning about Hikaru no Go, and remembering about watching people play Go, it is a nice gateway into playing a game that is 1000 years+ old.

Hikaru no Go MMF experiences its first day today…  so I do expect more links to trickle in. Thank you for those who contribute, especially since I expect people are still shaking it off from celebrating the holiday, and preparing to celebrate next week’s new year.

Today I have two links to share….

Though Lori’s entry’s title indicates a review of volume 12-15, she emphasizes that Hikaru no Go is “a compelling read”, and “need a place in the bookshelf that is otherwise not a digital acquisition.” Can I point out that currently Viz’s app has up to volume 21 at this time to purchase. Hikaru no Go never got the omnibus treatment.

Enzo shares an older link of an review that he has written on the anime of Hikaru no Go. Can I also reemphasize on how open I am to hosting reviews or discussions on this series in other mediums? That is fine. Hikaru no Go has a nicely done anime series, that I know lots of people have watched before in the past. I also said earlier that if bloggers want to share comparisons with other “board game” type series, then that is all right.

This feast is going to going on until the evening of 31st, so send in your links.